Clothes drying bag



Aug. 9, 1966 A. S. MOORE CLOTHES DRYING BAG Filed July 31, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H 2 mi, ;o E MwfiiQ O-W c o 0/ b 1 1 v 6 6 1.. Mr m i! 6,}! 'r 6- 23 v 23 1 i l 1 i INVENTOR.

ARNOLD 5. MDURE.

ATTORNEY:

g- 9, 1966 As. MOORE CLOTHES DRYING BAG 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July :51, 1963 INVENTOR. AENULD El. MUURE.

AT T URNEY'.

- 3,264,755 CLOTHES DRYING BAG Arnold S. Moore, Fairfield, Count, assignor to Aeroplastics, Inc., Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed July 31, 1963, Ser. No. 298,843 10 Claims. (Cl. 34-151) The present invention relates to a clothes drying bag for the rapid drying of small articles of clothing such as stockings, handkerchiefs, lingerie, etc.

Compact portable hair drying outfits are presently in use consisting of a blower for blowing heated air under pressure, a flexible bonnet for engagement over the users head, and a flexible hose for connection between the blower and the bonnet for delivering heated air under pressure to the bonnet. These outfits are designed principally for home use, or when traveling, and because of the compact size of the blower and hose and the flexible nature of the bonnet these parts are conveniently fitted into a small carrying case when not in use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a clothes drying bag which lends itself to use as an accessory to a hair drying outfit, and which is adapted when in use to be attached to the flexible hose of such outfit in similar manner to the attachment of the flexible bonnet, it being proposed to construct the bag of similar material to that of such bonnet, for example vinyl film, and to provide it with a similar hose attaching fitting. It is further proposed to provide a drying bag which when not in use may be folded into a compact package to be conveniently fitted into the carrying case of the hair drying outfit.

A further object is to provide a clothes drying bag having improved means for directing heated air under pressure into relation to the clothes being dried. Another object is to provide a clothes drying bag within which a clothes hanger may be removably engaged in such man ner that, in addition to supporting the articles to be dried, it will provide a frame means for shaping and supporting the bag in enclosing relation to the articles.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is :a front elevation of a dryer bag according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a clothes hanger unit for use with the dryer bag of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the dryer bag in a compact folded state;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the inner face of a sheet of flexible plastic film prior to folding and heat sealing into bag form;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 77 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 88 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 99 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a front elevation showing the dryer bag in use with the blower and hose connected thereto; and

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 10.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the dryer bag 10 according to the exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated therein is formed from a rectangular sheet 10a of plastic material, for example vinyl film which is flexible, airtight, nonabsorbent and has the capability of heat sealing. The several attached parts and formations of the bag are conveniently incorporated in the sheet 10a in its unfolded state as seen in FIG. 5. These parts include an annular flanged air hose connecting fitting 11, preferably of well-known form as employed in hair drying bonnets. This is conveniently secured along the longitudinal center line of the sheet midway between its ends by cutting a circular hole 12 in the sheet, disposing the flange of the fitting at the inner side with its annular hose attaching portion projecting to the outer side, and heat sealing the sheet to the under side of the flange, the fitting being preferably formed of a suitable thermoplastic material capable of heat sealing to the sheet. The fitting is additionally secured by a plastic impregnated woven mesh ring 13 secured as by stitching 14 to the flange of the fitting, and which projects beyond the flange where it is secured by heat sealing to the inner side of the sheet.

The parts of the sheet below and above the fitting 11 constitute the front and rear sections 15 and 16 of the bag. The front section 15 is provided along its vertical center line with a vertically extending slit 17 adapted to be opened and closed by .a zipper fastener 18 secured along each side of the slit at the inner side of the sheet, the zipper fastener for this purpose preferably having thermoplastic tapes which are conveniently secured by heat sealing to the sheet 10a.

Centrally of each of the end edges of the sheet there is provided a semi-circular cut-out 19 respectively reinforced by a semicircular grommet 20 preferably formed of thermoplastic material and heat sealed to the inner side of the sheet. In the completed bag these cut-outs provide a central opening in its upper edge for receiving the hook of a clothes hanger, as will presently more fully appear.

In spaced parallel relation to the end edges the front and rear bag sections 15 and 16 are respectively provided with a series of transversely spaced air outlet holes 21. In the completed bag the outlet holes in the front bag section are in substantial register with those in the rear section.

The sheet is folded at the fold points indicated by the arrows 22 to bring the side and end edges of the front and back sections together, whereupon the marginal portions along these edges are heat sealed to provide air tight side and end seams 23 and 24, the end seam being broken by the cutouts 19 which thus constitute a central hole in the upper edge of the bag.

It will be noted that the folding of the bag at the fold points 22 at opposite sides of the hose connecting fitting 11 causes the lower folded end of the bag to assume a bulged-out shape at each side of the fitting with the lower side of the fold arched upwardly. At a point below the lower end of the slit 17 and substantially above the fitting 11 the front and rear sections 15 and 16 of the bag are brought together and secured by heat sealed seams at spaced points along a transverse line of the bag. These seams comprise a central relatively long seam 25 which provides a moisture barrier directly above the hose connecting fitting 11 and relatively short spaced seams 26 at each side of the central seam 25, and which provide a series of relatively short air passages 27 through which air will flow from the lower part of the bag to the upper part, at least one of these passages preferably being ad- 3 jacent each of the side edge seams 23. The seams 25:,and 26 divide the bag into a lower air compression chamber 28 and an upper air expansion chamber 29, as seenin FIG. 11, for a purpose presently to more fully appear. In FIG, the dot-and-dash lines indicate .the areas which are heat sealed in producing the seams 23,24, 25 and 26m Theclothes hanger unit 30 may be of any suitable type, and in the disclosed example consists of a wire hook 331 having a swivel connection with a center sleeve 32 to which outwardly extending arms 33.-33 are secured, these arms being bent into U-form at their intermediate por-- tions as at 34 and having a spring clip type hanger v35 pivotally supported thereon. As seen'in FIG. the hanger, with one or more articles A to be dried, clipped thereto, is adapted to be inserted through the .zipper opening 17 intothe bag, the hook 31 being thereupon threaded through the center opening 19 in the upper end of the bag where it may be supported upon a suitable supporting rod 36 with the upper portions of the'arms 34 28 the side walls of the bag defining the passages 27 bulge out to allow the air to enter the expansion chamber 28 whereupon the upper portion of the bag becomes inflated by virtue of the restricted outflow of air through the outlet openings 21. Thus the passages 27 produce a Venturi effect, causing the air to be jetted into the expansion chamber 29 where it flows with a substantially balanced turbulence at each side of the article so that drying of r the article is accelerated. At the same time the balanced ai-r flow maintains the article in a substantially central position in the expansion chamber 29 out of contact with the inner surfaces of theibag.

When not in use the drying bag as seen in FIG. .1, with the hanger 30 and hose 37 removed, may be compactly folded as seen in FIG. 4 for convenient storage, for example in the carrying case of the portable hair drying outfit bereinbefore referred to.

What is claimed is:

1. In a clothes dryer, an enclosure defined by flexible walls, means dividing said enclosure into an air compression chamber and an air expansion chambenair inlet means opening to said compression chamber, restricted air passage means between said chambers for discharging air under pressure from said compression chamber to said expansion chamber, ai-r outlet means opening from said expansion chamber at a point substantially spaced from said air passage means, and means for opening and closing said expansion chamber for placing therein or removing therefrom articles to be dried.

2. The invention as defined in claiml, further characterized in that last named means comprises a substantially vertical slit in the wall of said expansion chamber extending over a substantial portion of its length, and means for closing and opening said slit.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1,i-wherein said expansion chamber-includes a transversely disposed upper end having a central opening, and further characterized by v a hanger including transverse arm means for engagement within the upper end of said expansion chamber at each side of said central opening, book means connected .centrally to said arm means for removable engagement through said central opening for suspending said Fenclosure from an outer support,'and clip means carrier by said arm means for suspending ,articles to be dried within said expansion chamber.

4. In aclothes dryer, asubstantially rectangular enclosure defined by front and rear flexible walls, means dividing said enclosure into a lower air compression chamber, and an upper air expansion chamberyair inlet means opening to the lower .end of saidcompression chamber substantiallyv centrally thereof, restricted air passage means between said chambers fior dischaging air. under pressure from said compression chamber to said expansion chamber, a-ir outlet means opening from said expansion chamber at a point substantially upwardly spaced from said air passage. means, and;means! for opening and closing said expansion chamber for placing therein or removing therefrom articles-to be driedi 5. The invention asndefined in claim'4,tw'herein said means dividing said enclosure comprises aplurality of transversely spaced and aligned seams securing said front andarear flexible walls togethen-the spaces between said seams constituting said vrestricted air passage means.

6. In:a clothes dryer, anenclosure' in the: form of, a

substantially rectangular. bag including .a substantially.

rectangular sheet of-thermoplastic filmfolded upon itself at a transverse fold line centrally between the ends of said sheet .to .provideE-front and rear wallv sections integrally connectedv by a fold end, said wall sections having registering side edge portions opposite each other and registering end edge portions opposite-the fold end,

said side and end edge portions being heat sealed, :means dividing said bag enclosure into anupper air expansion chamber and a lower air compression chamber =comprising .transevrsely spaced and aligned heat'sealed seams,

the spaces between said seams: providing restricted air passages between said chambers, airiinlet'meanssubstantially, centrally of the foldend opening to said compres sion chamber, and air outlet openings in said front and rear walls adjacent the upper end of said air expansion chamber.

7. The .inventionas definedinzclaim 6, wherein said outlet openings in said: front andrea-r walls are in substantial register with each otherand of corresponding size.-

8. The invention as defined in'claim' 6, further characterized by a. substantially .vertical slit in the front wall of said expansionchamber. extending over, a sub-' stantial portion of, its length, and zipper closure means securedzalong the sides of said slit for closing and opening said slit.

9. The inventiomas defined in claim- 6,.fiurther char-- acterized by an opening centrally of said endedge seam: for passage to the outer sideof saidbag of, the. hook'of a clothes hanger insertable into-said expansion chamber through said slit.

10. The invention asdefined in claim 6, wherein one of transversely spaced heat sealed seams is vertically opposed to said'air inlet means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 2,176,140 10/1939 Lofgren 206-7 2,677,585." 5/1954 La :Voy 2067 X 2,975,529 3/ 1961 Weber I 34-151 WILLIAM F. ODEA,.Primary Examiner.

C. R. REMKE; Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CLOTHES DRYER, AN ENCLOSURE DEFINED BY FLEXIBLE WALLS, MEANS DIVIDING SAID ENCLOSURE INTO AN AIR COMPRESSION CHAMBER AND AN AIR EXPANSION CHAMBER, AIR INLET MEANS OPENING TO SAID COMPRESSION CHAMBER, RESTRICTED AIR PASSAGE MEANS BETWEEN SAID CHAMBERS FOR DISCHARGING AIR UNDER PRESSURE FROM SAID COMPRESSION CHAMBER TO SAID EXPANSION CHAMBER, AIR OUTLET MEANS OPENING FROM SAID EXPANSION CHAMBER AT A POINT SUBSTANTIALLY SPACED FROM SAID AIR PASSAGE MEANS, AND MEANS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING SAID EXPANSION CHAMBER FOR PLACING THEREIN OR REMOVING THEREFROM ARTICLES TO BE DRIED. 